Gareth Richards, On tour

The Omnichord is not an instrument you often see in musical comedy. Actually, it's not an instrument you often see, full stop. A cross between an early synth and a banjo, it produces a limited range of twee electronic sounds, and it's the weapon of choice for low-key but extremely talented young comic Gareth Richards. Having built a live reputation with well-crafted, pun-heavy stand-up, his debut solo show breaks up the spoken material with surprisingly tuneful, gently eccentric songs. He comes across like a quiet, introverted version of Irish keyboard wizard David O'Doherty, but there are flashes of Demetri Martin, too. It adds up to a delightful hour of comedy, mixing silly jokes about his mum with surreal but touching songs about love, loss and his mate Dave, who is, somewhat inexplicably, a fridge.

Dan Clark, On tour

Dan Clark.

Those of you unfamiliar with the recent comedy output of BBC3 might not be up to speed with the rise of Dan Clark, whose laddish sitcom How Not To Live Your Life has been one of the much-criticised channel's most consistent successes. The show takes its strength from Clark's ability to come up with great comic observations about the nature of feckless young blokedom, and his live show features plenty more of the same. But Clark adds a secret weapon to this apparent retread of laddish sensibilities: a diamond-hard, impregnable charisma, even when contemplating the most appalling things. Onstage, the alpha-male vibes and strong comic sensibilities make for an impressive spectacle.

The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society, London

Thom Tuck, appearing as part of The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society.

Just how meaningful a term is "alternative comedy" these days? After all, we live in a world where a maverick talent like Harry Hill commands a sizable Saturday night audience on ITV, while the likes of Jim Davidson or Cannon and Ball seem condemned to light entertainment's sidelines. But if alternative comedy has succeeded in going mainstream, did it sacrifice its radical, experimental edge to get there? This ultra-quirky new night aims to redress the balance, offering a show that's genuinely alternative and properly comedic. The off-the-wall brainchild of John-Luke Roberts and Thom Tuck, whose routines see him mixing accounts of his troubled love life with analysis of straight-to-video Disney films, this is a night where anything goes, so long as it's envelope-pushing, creative and funny. Last time out, a man shaved off his beard, stuck it to a piece of card and announced it was Dave Lee Travis's beard (perhaps you had to be there). Performers this week include philosopher-disser Sara Pascoe, and hairless, high-energy character comic Marek Larwood.